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Topic: Which Drive is best (Read 7742 times) previous topic - next topic
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Which Drive is best

Hi
I want to copy and rip CDs to a high standard using EAC as the software. Regarding hardware is there any quality benefits (e.g. accuracy) in buying a CD Rom drive to carry out the ripping or will a DVD type drive provide equal results. Reason I ask is that my CD Rom drive has just bust and I am wondering whether to replace it with the same or I might purchase a DVD RW with lightscribe. The only other drive I have is a DVD Rom which came out was second best to the CD Rom in EAC drive tests.
Would welcome a few thoughts on the matter.
Best wishes
Stan

Which Drive is best

Reply #1
Well I just picked up an LG 4163B (dual-layer DVD writer). Not because it can burn dual-layer DVDs (haven't even tried yet), but because it was really inexpensive ($50 CDN) and:

a) has a 0 sample write offset.
b) has accurate C2 correction.
c) doesn't cache audio data.
d) rips in secure mode at like 27x !!!

My only real complaint is that it doesn't support overread, and has a pretty large offset (+667).

Which Drive is best

Reply #2
Quote
Well I just picked up an LG 4163B (dual-layer DVD writer). Not because it can burn dual-layer DVDs (haven't even tried yet), but because it was really inexpensive ($50 CDN) and:
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Have the same drive in my machine. Besides being really good for reading and ripping, it's also a solid DVD writer. There is a good test of lots of drives at [a href="http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2260]Anandtech[/url].

Which Drive is best

Reply #3
Quote
Well I just picked up an LG 4163B (dual-layer DVD writer). Not because it can burn dual-layer DVDs (haven't even tried yet), but because it was really inexpensive ($50 CDN) and:

a) has a 0 sample write offset.
b) has accurate C2 correction.
c) doesn't cache audio data.
d) rips in secure mode at like 27x !!!

My only real complaint is that it doesn't support overread, and has a pretty large offset (+667).
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Strange. Where did you get that write offset value? Using EAC and [a href="http://users.pandora.be/satcp/eacoffsets03.htm#-]this[/url] procedure (or accuraterip, i don't remember) I got a +6 write offset correction.

Which Drive is best

Reply #4
i got the 4120 and also have +667 read and 0 write
the values are correct!
member of the "i have a cat-avatar"-group ;)

Which Drive is best

Reply #5
I'll try again to get the offsets and report back. maybe i did something stupid.

 

Which Drive is best

Reply #6
Is there a drive with a 0 write offset AND either has a) a 0 read offset or b) a positive read offset (correction) and can overread?

Which Drive is best

Reply #7
Tested again and I got a +673 combined read/write offset with the EAC CD.... That still gives a +6 write offset.
Must be something related to firmware version....

Which Drive is best

Reply #8
Has it been confirmed that the 4163 doesn't cache audio data?  This post in the CDFreaks forum seems to feel that it does cache some of the data:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showpost.php?p=872016&postcount=10

I'm looking to buy two new drives, one exclusively for ripping audio, and the other for burning the files to DVD. Whenever I think I've come across two drives well suited to each purpose I start reading contradictory claims about the qualities of the drives :-|

Which Drive is best

Reply #9
Quote
Is there a drive with a 0 write offset AND either has a) a 0 read offset or b) a positive read offset (correction) and can overread?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=304406"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]



Of the 800 drives in AccurateRip not one has 0 read offset (unless you take virtual cds). Now if Andre had chosen +6 as his reference a great number would have been 0.

Which Drive is best

Reply #10
Quote
Has it been confirmed that the 4163 doesn't cache audio data?  This post in the CDFreaks forum seems to feel that it does cache some of the data:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showpost.php?p=872016&postcount=10

I'm looking to buy two new drives, one exclusively for ripping audio, and the other for burning the files to DVD. Whenever I think I've come across two drives well suited to each purpose I start reading contradictory claims about the qualities of the drives :-|
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=304488"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Might someone explain why a drive that does not cache data is better for ripping CDs?
STan

Which Drive is best

Reply #11
Because secure ripping means reading the same data twice (or more times), data from the multiple reads are compared and and if equal, the data is considered to be correctly read. Now if the drive caches, chances are that when reading the data the second time you only read from the cache and hence you will get the same data anyway. A good secure ripper like EAC tries to circumvent this by emptying the cache in some way. This slows down ripping. A drive that doesn't cache audio data will hence rip your CD:s faster in a secure mode.

Which Drive is best

Reply #12
I wouldn't recommend LG GSA-4163b for ripping cd-audio. I have one and it doesn't read scratched cd's very well. 

Which Drive is best

Reply #13
Quote
I wouldn't recommend LG GSA-4163b for ripping cd-audio. I have one and it doesn't read scratched cd's very well. 
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=304569"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


No drive reads scratched CDs well  That's why we use EAC.

Which Drive is best

Reply #14
Quote
Quote
I wouldn't recommend LG GSA-4163b for ripping cd-audio. I have one and it doesn't read scratched cd's very well. 
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=304569"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


No drive reads scratched CDs well  That's why we use EAC.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=304570"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


True, but even with EAC this drives seems to read scratched cd's very reluctanly compared to, for example my previous LG GCE-8400b or Lite-On LTR-52327S. However, it's great  for burning DVD's! 

Which Drive is best

Reply #15
Quote
Because secure ripping means reading the same data twice (or more times), data from the multiple reads are compared and and if equal, the data is considered to be correctly read. Now if the drive caches, chances are that when reading the data the second time you only read from the cache and hence you will get the same data anyway. A good secure ripper like EAC tries to circumvent this by emptying the cache in some way. This slows down ripping. A drive that doesn't cache audio data will hence rip your CD:s faster in a secure mode.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=304562"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Neat Thanks. Question now is how one is able to tell a non 'cacheable' drive from its specifications?